Torbay Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Marcus Wood has worked out why schools close with the first flurry of snow.
He says on his blog it ‘is a classic case of unintended and undisirable consequences from badly drafted laws and poorly considered management targets for which our Government have become legendary’.
Hang on, I thought we were talking about snow?
He says: “Many of us remember trudging to school as children in all weathers, indeed I can remember being forced to carry on playing outdoor sport in freezing conditions regardless.”
It seems: “Pupil attendance records are a key Government target, and make up part of the performance tables that define a school heads record. A day in which hundreds of kids won’t arrive at at school would be disastrous for this ‘key performance indicator’ – whereas if the school is closed by the head the attendances aren’t counted for that day.
“So head teachers have a strong incentive to do the absolute opposite of what the targets are supposed to achieve.”
And what’s the snowy challenge?
“Schools need targets, and parents are entitled to information about their schools performance, but the challenge is to make sure that the tail does not wag the dog.”
Read the full article on Marcus Wood’s site
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(4 votes, average: 3.25 out of 5)
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Talk about conspiracy theory. If your school is in a rural catchment area, and your teachers and pupils travel considerable distances over icy, hilly roads, what else can you do? Heads really do not want to have to close schools, despite what Mr Wood may think.
I remember when this website was all fields… What an idiot!
As a serving deputy head who was involved in our decision to close our school on 2 of the 3 snow days this week, I can assure anyone who reads this that attendance targets were not raised once in the discussion I had with my head at 5.30 am each morning…and find it quite insuting that a prospective parliamentary candiate can make such a statement. When police are saying do not travel unless joruney is urgent, we make the decision to keep our kids safe…while we are very aware that childcare problems are likely to follow, if we are not able to guarantee the safety of all 980 of our kids – both en route and on site then we reluctantly have to shut.
I look forward to hearing this candidate’s comment when we have the first child killed as a result of travelling to school on a snow day where the head has had to bow to pressure from local business leaders to open a school in dangerous conditions to protect the econonmy.
These decisions are never taken lightly, and always with awareness of the repecrussions…but can we ever put economic considerations ahead of children’s safety? I hope not…but then I don’t have to make irresponsible comments in order to show how ‘tough’ I am on education to get elected!!!
Well said Alan, one can only hope that the electorate of Torbay remember Marcus Wood’s ludicrous comments come election time. Mind you I am a bit worried that a deputy head can’t spell repercussions!
I understand about children’s safety but what I would like to know is why children’s nurseries open as normal (even opposite a closed primary school in one case) yet the schools close. According to some of the posts here that would imply that nursery staff are not as concerned about the safety of their children. Surely the risks of accidents on the way to school is the same whether you are 2 or 6 years old. The insurance premiums are presumably similar.
I work for the NHS on the wards. Schools closing is not just a concern for commerce. I wonder how people would react if they were told their relatives care was adversely affected because of staff staying home to look after children when they should be at school.
What do the schools suggest front line workers should do for childcare when they are meant to be at work caring for the sick?